Read 'bewildered' by Ashes axe

England wicketkeeper Chris Read has admitted he found the decision to drop him at the start of the Ashes series last November "bewildering".

Read was controversially overlooked for the first three Tests of England's disastrous Ashes defence despite competent performances on his return to the side last summer.

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The 28-year-old had seemed set to continue when the team arrived in Australia but Geraint Jones, despite a lack of form, was handed a reprieve.

It was not until the series was lost that Jones, after a further three poor performances, was finally jettisoned and Read recalled.

The Nottinghamshire keeper, who featured in the last two summer Tests against Pakistan and the ICC Champions Trophy, said: "I could not understand how after playing the last few games of the year I was not going to start the Ashes, having performed well in those too Tests.

"It was a bit bewildering and hard to get over. There were a lot of dark days and I wondered what I was doing out there."

Read's return to the team was not to last long as he was left out for the one-day series in Australia in favour of veteran Paul Nixon and then not included in the World Cup squad.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on selection for England's World Cup campaign, the 28-year-old is keen to get straight back into action.

Read is now eager to get back to playing with Notts as they try to bounce back from relegation. He said: 'I was given the option of a couple of extra weeks off before joining the squad for pre-season, but the feeling of getting back and playing is something I'm really looking forward to.

'There's nothing more frustrating than to be netting endlessly without any matches to show for it at the end - and I've done enough of that already this winter.

'I can't wait to meet up with the boys. We have got plenty of hard work ahead of us to make up for the disappointment of relegation last season - and we're all eager to get started.'